Hat-rack.



I lflfnesses;

'No. 756,023. PATENTED'MAR. 29, 1904. 0. W. JOHNSON & J. OLAISON.

. HAT RACK. APPLICATION FILED 001223, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented March 2'9, 1904.

PATENT OF ICE.

CHARLES W. JOHNSON AND JOHN K. OLAISON, OF MINNEAPOLIS,

MINNESOTA.

HAT-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 756,023, dated March 29, 1904.

Application filed October 23, 1903. Serial No. 178,193- (No model.)

T0 at whmn it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES W. JOHNSON and JOHN K. OLAISON, citizens of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have inventof the character used by traveling salesmen and others for holding a large number of hats within a trunk, and has for its object-to provide a light, cheap, and efficent device for the above purpose.

To the above ends the invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described, and defined in the claims.

. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a plan view, with parts broken away, showing a rack or crate designed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line m m of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the detachable sections of the rack.

The numeral 1 indicates a rectangular supporting-frame, which is formed with longitudinally-extended' pairs of rabbetted bars 2 and, as shown, also with supporting-legs 3 at its four corners.

For supporting each hat an adjustable, detachable, and reversible section is provided.

Each section has arectangular base 4:, preferably constructed of ratan and braced at its corners by triangular corner-plates 5. This base 4. in both directions is of such dimensions that it will fit within the seat afforded by the rabbets or grooves of either pair of bars 2. In other words, the said base is square and may be set within the seats afforded by the said bars 2 in either of two positions and, furthermore, may. be slid along to the proper position upon the said bars, all as will hereinafter more fully appear. For direct engagement with the rim of the hat, with the crown of thehat depending therethrough,.there is provided a slightly-flexible ring 6, constructed of ratan. One of these rings 6 is secured to each rectangular base 4 by four upwardlybowed standards 7 that are also constructed .of ratan, so that while sufliciently rigid to afford the'proper supports are nevertheless capable of being bent for a purpose which will presently appear. The end portions of these standards 7 are adjustably but firmly secured to the rectangular frame 4, preferably by wrappings 8, of split ratan, and the intermediate upper portions of said standards are'in a similar manner secured to the ring 6 by wrappings 9. Other devices than the wrappings 8 and 9 may, however, be used'for the purposes stated. The rectangular framesfl may be held in their properly-adjusted posi tions on the bars 2 by a suitable fastening, such as the hinged clamps 10 and cooperating hooks 11.

Racks of the character above described are used to carry sample hats, and it is of course highly important that such hats be kept al-.

ways in perfect form. It is further evident that the form of most hats is such that the supporting-rings 6 if bent so as to lie in a vary the height at which they will support to the form of the hat-crown. Adjustments of the detachable hat-holders with respect to the supporting-frame 1 are necessary with hats having rims of different size and form in order to get the largest number of hats which is possible in view of such form and size into a given space. Hence the sliding adjustments of the independent or individual hat-holders is required. Furthermore, space will sometimes be gained by placing the holders with the major axes of the rings 6 longitudinally of the guide-rails 2, while at other times space will be gained by setting the said holders in a position at ninety degrees to the position indicated.- Both of these positions are indicated in Fig. 1. It will thus be seen that the holders are capable of independent sliding angular adjustments to adapt the rack to hold hats of diiferent forms and sizes.

11; is of course very desirable to arrange the rack to hold the largest possible number of hats. A rack of given dimensions will, as is evident, hold a larger number of small-rimmed hats than it will hats of very large rims. Hence it frequently happens that a greater or less number of holders may be applied to the rack or support according to the size of the hat-rims. The adjustments above noted, as is evident, make it possible to rearrange the hat-holders so that the largest possible number may always be used. Hence we desire to claim, broadly, a hat rack or crate having hat-holders which are capable of rearrangement with respect to each other, so that the maximum number thereof in View of the size of the hat may always be rendered serviceable.

ters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. In a hat rack or crate, the combination with a base-support having longitudinal supporting-guides, of independently-removable hat-holders having rectangular bases adapting them to be slid upon and set in diflere'nt angular positions with respect to said supporting-guides, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a rectangular basesupport having the grooved longitudinal supporting-bars 2,0f a plurality of independentlyremovable hatholders having rectangular bases fitting the grooves of said supportingbars 2, in either of two angular positions, and adapted to he slid in different relative positions, substantially as described.

3. A hat-holder comprising a rectangular base,arim-engaging ringadaptedtobe sprung, and bowed standards, said standards being attached to said ring at their intermediate portions and having their ends adjustably secured to said rectangular base, whereby the said ring may be bent to the outline of a hat-rim,

by adjustments of the said standards, substantially as described.

4. A hat-holder comprising a supportingbase, a rim-engaging ring and devices connecting the said base and rim-engaging ring, the said devices being adjustable to vary the curvature of said ring from a horizontal plane, substantially as described.

5. In a hat rack or crate, the combination with a base-support adapted to support a plurality of hat-holders in the same horizontal plane, of a plurality of annular hat-holders having bases resting on said base-support, and adapted to be variably spaced and to be adjusted rotatively in the same horizontal plane, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES W. JOHNSON JOHN K. OLAISON.

Witnesses:

E. H. KELIHER, F. D. MERCHANT. 

